The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida×V. tenuisecta, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Rap Magna.’
‘Rap Magna’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Rap Magna’ has red-purple colored flowers, low, compact and outwardly spreading growth habit, medium-green foliage with moderately dissected leaves, free-branching, and tolerance to powdery mildew.
‘Rap Magna’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. Both parent lines contained V. hybrida and V. tenuisecta background. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary hybrid seedling identified as ‘04-1791-5’ with light strawberry color. ‘04-1791-5’ has fewer flowers, is later to flower, and has a more open and leggy plant habit than ‘Rap Magna.’
The male parent of ‘Rap Magna’ was an unpatented, proprietary hybrid seedling identified as ‘03-1752-1’ with burgundy color. ‘03-1752-1’ has larger leaves that are not so dissected and fewer flowers than ‘Rap Magna.’
‘Rap Magna’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in February 2006 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The pollination took place in August 2005 and the seed sown in November 2005, all in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Rap Magna’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in February 2006 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated February 2006 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Rap Magna’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Rap Magna’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Dec. 24, 2007. ‘Rap Magna’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.